Outliers The Story of Success

Malcom Gladwell's new book "Outliers" has three themes of the book; attitudes towards work, cultural legacies and luck," Gladwell said. "Success is some combination of those three."
Gladwell's point is that these accidents - date of birth, culture and social class - are the true determinants. His conclusion is simplistic but convincing. What I enjoy about Gladwells writing is it is unconventional. He writes about social, psychological, environmental, cultural issues that transend all humans. The author allows us to see how success comes in many ways, in many different forms. Gladwells explinations are not as flimsey as his conclusion: "Successes," he writes, "are products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy." If it's not one thing, it's another. This is where he loses me. If success is a product of history, community, of opportunity and legacy then I am an outlier as well. Born in a Catholic family of eight, I was the fifth and the third boy. My father was an auto mechanic, my mother a secretary. Either of my parents had any education past High School. Each of my siblings that were older then me took the same path of my parents until my closest sister to me decided enought was enough...and went to college and graduated. This would make my sister an oulier as well according to Gladwell. I was the "first" male in my history to graduate from college and the first in my family to take advantage of my education. My sister had a degree as a teacher but never persued teaching...on the other hand, I got my teaching degree and have been teaching for the last thirteen years. I have also earned by advanced degree (Masters in School Administration) and am persuing my Principal certificate. Would all of this define me as an outlier? According to Gladwell....yes! Did I take advantage of my opportunities...I would have to say yes! Was my community involved in my success...I would have to say reluctantly, yes...more acurately my wife Joan. Does my History help me to be an outlier....yes being born in a big family...no college education history for my mother and father and just three of us in eight that have college degrees I would say yes. My grandfather was a carpenter and my grandmother a homemaker. Legacy?
Defined as a gift of personal property by will, I would say no. Success has come to me not from gifts but from taking advantage of opportunities. Luck, attitude toward work, and cultural legacies (not) I guess are a part of my overall success... or a combination of the three (or two in my case). I consede to the Master Gladwell...I love you!